Vending machine cabinet



Sept. 27, 1932. w. H. Rowla` l 1,879,884

VENDING MACHINE CABINET- Filed March 23. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 :Fi-. E. INVENTOR. w. H. Ro wf A TTORNEY.

Sept. 27, 1932. w. H. RowE VENDING MACHINE CABINET Filed March 25. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. W. H. RO VVE A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 27, `1932. y W. H ROWE 1,879,884

VENDING MACHINE CABINET A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept.y 27, 'I 1932 UNITED STATES WILLIAM vH. B OWE, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORIIIA VENDI'NG MACHINE CABINET Application led llarch 23, 1929. Serial No. 349,377.

This invention relates to vending machines.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved cabinet for coin actuated vending machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vending machine cabinet wherein novel locking means is providedv for locking the various parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved vending machine cabinet wherein novel means is provided for displaying the coins used to operate the machine and for delivering the coins to a money container.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel coin receptacle for use in a vending machine.

A still further object of the invent/ion is to provide an improved vending machine cabs inet wherein novel means is provided for protecting the articles to be vended from theft.

: Other objects and advantagesV of this in' vention will be apparent from the following Tdescription taken in connection with the ac companying drawings wherein:

F1g. 1 is a vertical .cross section through my improved vending machine cabinet.

e Fig. 2`is a front view of the`l vending machine with various parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the invention.,

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with various part-s broken away.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with various parts broken away and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the cabinet showing one of the closure door fastening members.

This invention is an improvement on the invention shown in my co-pending applicatio'n Serial No. 176,847, led March 21, 1927, now Patent No. 1,754,527, granted April 15, 1930.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated a cabinet embodying the features of my invention generally at 10. The cabinet includes L shaped side members 11 joined in the rear by a back 12 and in the front by a front plate 13. The cabinet is provided above the front plate with a shelf 14 in which are provided a plurality of apertures 15 and above the shelf 14 I provide a door 16 which includes a transparent panel 17 shown as a piece of glass.

The top of the cabinet is provided with a lid 18 which is provided adjacent each side with a depending lug 19, each of lwhich is pivoted as at 20 to the adjacent side member 11. 5

Apertures 21 are provided in the back 12 in which the lugsl19 are positioned (see Figs. 1 and 2).

. The shelf 14 is adapted to be supported by the side members 11 and includes an upstanding flange 22 spaced from the rear end thereof to form angular portions and at each side a depending flange 23 is provided which is adapted to t over the outside of the sides 6 11 (see Figs. 1 and 2).

The front plate 13 is provided at each side witha rearwardly extending iiange 24 which is adapted to lit over the outside gf the sides 11 (see Fig. 3) and at the topwith a rearwardly extending flange 25 which is adapted to lit Iover the rtop of the shelf 14 vas clearly shown in Fig. 1. The door 16 is adapted to be supported on the shelf 14 with the lower end thereof positioned to the rear of the upstanding flange 22 as yshown inF ig. 1.. At i each side the door 16 is provided with a rearwardly extending ange 26 which is adapted to fit over the outer face of the sides 11 (see Fig. 3). The shelf 14 is lnot rigidly secured to any part of the cabinet but is free to be removed when the door` 16 is removed and is held in position when the door is in a closed position by the front plate flange 25, the plate side Hanges 23 and the door 16.

On each of the sides 11 adjacent. the door 85 I provide two inwardly extending 'lugs 27 which are adapted to. be engaged by fastening members 28 on the door 16 (see Figs. 3

and 5,) As shown each of the members 28 in- 90 cludes a portion 29 spaced from the rear surface of the door and secured to raised lugs 30 Y on the door as by screws 31 and a. depressed portion 32 which is adapted toI engage the glass panel 17 to hold it in position. A notch 5 33 is provided in the portion 29 through which the lugs 27 are adapted to pass. l To place the door 16 in osition the notches 33 in the fastening memlliers'28 are aligned with the lugs 27 on the sides l1 and then im..-

the door is moved rearwardly and downwardly 'so that the lugs 27 are positioned between the rear face of the door and the portions 29 of the fastening members as shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

For locking the door 16 against upward movement I provide a lock which is secured in any desired manner to the under face of the lid 18 and includes a keyway 36 which extends through an aperture 37 in the lid and a b'olt 38 which is adapted to be positioned in a recess 39 provided in the rear face of the door 16. l

The lid 18 is lrovided at each side with downwardly projecting flanges 40 which are adapted to fit over the outer facesof the sides 11 as shown in Fig. 2 and at the back with a downwardly extending ange 41 which is adapted to fit over the rear face-of the back 12 as shown in Fig. 1. Adjacent each side of the lid 18 and positioned adjacent the door 16 I provide downwardly extending lugs 42 each of which has a dog 43 pivotally secured thereto as at 44 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The

dogs 43 each includes a front surface 45 which is adapted to abut the rear surface of the door 16 and a radial surface 46 which is adapted to engage the under portion of a lug 47 pro` vided on each of the sides 11.

outward movement of the door.

From the foregoin description it will be apparent that when t e door 16 is placed 1n a closed position as shown in Fig. 1 and the.

lock bolt 38 is positioned in the door recess 39 the bolt 38 will prevent upward movement of the door and the fastening members 28 together with the shelf flange 22 will prevent The door 16 when in this position will prevent upward movement of the rear edge of they shelf 14 and the front plate flange25 will prevent upward movement of the front edge of the shelf while the shelf side flanges 23 will prevent longitudinal movement of the shelf 14 and the lock bolt 38 together withthe dogs 43 prevent upward movement of the lid 18. Thus it will be seen that only one locking means i. e. the lock 35, is required to lock the door 16, the lid 18, and the p late 14 in position.

The back 12 is shown as made of wood and is adapted to be positioned between Hanges 49 and lugs 50 provided on the side members 11 as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The lower end of the front plate 13 is spaced from the bottom of the cabinet to provide a discharge opening 52 and is provided l with rearwardly extending lugs 54 by means of which it is secured by screws 54 to lugs 55 provided on the side plates 11 (see Figs. 1 and This front plate 13 is provided adjacent 3). its lower edge with an aperture 5 6 in which a coin receptacle indicated generally at 57 is adapted to be positioned. As shown the coin receptacle includes side members 58 hav-l ing rearwardly projecting arms 59 which are provided with hooked ends 60 which are adapted to engage and be supported by inwardly projecting lugs 61 provided on the cabinet side members 11 (see Figs. 1 and 3).

To remove the coin receptacle 57 it is necbers 11. Adjacent the lower end of each of the levers 63 I provide an inturned lip 65 and adjacent the upper end I provide a'for' wardly extending' a-rm 66. The lips 6 5 are adaptedto engage the upper portion of the the arms 66 are adapted to be engaged by the door 16 when the door is in a closed position.

It will thus be seen that when the door 16 is in a closed position as shown in Fig. 1 th'e hooked ends 60 of the receptacle arms 59 cannot be raised above the lugs 61 so therefore the coin receptacle cannot be removed. To free the coin receptacle so that it may be removed it is-necessary to remove the door 16 and swin the levers 63 on their pivots 64 so that the ips thereof are out of engagement with the receptacle arms 59 whereupon the coin receptacle may be removed as previously described.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the lock 35 also is the medium by which the coin receptacle 57 is locked in position.

The sides 58 of the coin receptacle 57 are shown as provided with inwardly extending flanges 68 which have secured thereto, as by comprisesJ hooked arms 59 of the coin receptacle 57 and screws 69, a sheet metal member 70 which the top wall'thereof is bent downward as at,

75 to form anentrance for coins and to prevent the coinsfrom being expelled from the receptacle in casethe cabinet is turned up- I side down I provide a plate 77 which is pivoted to the sides 58 as at 78. Normallythe plate 77 rests on an inclined surface 79 prol vided on the lugs 73 and is spaced from the downwardly bent portion 76 of the recep- Lew tacle top and allows free passage of the coins into the receptacle 57. Should the cabinet,

be inverted the plate 77 will swing en its pivot and the free` end thereof will engage the portion 76 and close the coin entrance as by riveting or welding I provide a plural-P thereby preventing the coins in the receptacle from being expelled therefrom.

In one of the coin receptacle sides I provide a discharge aperture 8O which is adapted to be closed by a door 81 pivotally mounted on a rod 82 which is positioned in in- Wardly extending lugs 83 on the side 58.

en the coin receptacle 57 is in position in the cabinet an inwardly extending lug 84 on one of the side members 11 prevents the.

door 81 from swinging outward (see Fig. 4) but when the coin receptacle is removed from the cabinet the door 81 is free to swing outward to allow the coins in the receptacle to be poured out through the aperture 80.

Vithin the cabinet I provide a discharge chute 85 which is preferably made of a flat piece of metal and held in position between a plurality of inwardly projecting 'lugs 86 provided on each of the side members 11 and secured to some of the lugs as by screws 87.

` The cabinet is also preferably provided with a bottom 88 which is preferably made of a flat piece of metal and held in position by a plurality of lugs 89 to 'some of which it is preferably secured as by rivets 90. The rear` end of the bottom 88 extends under the back 49 and includes an upturned portion 91 which is adapted to t over the outer face of the back.

For holding articles to be vended such as packages of cigarettes 92 I provide a holder 93 which is preferably made from thin sheet metal and is divided by a plurality of verf tical partitions 94 into a plurality of article holding compartments 95 (see Figs. 1 and 3) This holder 93 further includes a rear wall 96 and a front wall 97 provided with vending apertures 98 which are aligned with each of the compartments 95 and with an aperture 99 at the lower end of each of the compartments. At the bottom and adjacent each side of each compartment 95 spaced flanges 100 are provided which are adapted to support the articles in the compartments (see Figs. 1 and The flanges 100 terminate the short of the rear of the holder and the rear wall 96 terminates short of the bottom of the holder `to provide discharge apertures for the articles in the .compartments 95.

Secured to the rear wall 96 of the holder ity of supporting hooks 102 which are adapted to engage an angle 103 forv supporting the holder 93 within the cabinet (see Fi s. 1 and 4). Adjacent the lower en'd of the older I provide a similar angle 104 which is adapted to be engaged lby the rear of the holder 93 to prevent rearward Lmovement of the holder and maintain the holder in correct vertical alignment. adapted to be secured to inwardly'projecting lugs 104 provided on the cabinet side members 11 as by screws 106.

For expelling the contents of the storage `110 include a casing 112 which is provided at the top with out-turned flanges 113 and with atop plate 114 having a pair of coin slots 114 and an elorgated slot 116 -therein (see Figs. 2 and 3). The housin 112 is adapted to be clamped to the underside of the cabinet shelf 14 by retaining plates 117 which are secured to bosses 118 on the shelf byv screws 119 (see Figs. 1 and 2). The bosses 11,8 prevent sidewise movement of the plunger mechanism and to prevent endWise movement of the plunger mechanisms I provide other bosses 118 which are adapted to engage each end of the plunger mechanisms (see Figs. 1 and 3) For ejecting the articles to be vended the plunger mechanism is provided with a delivery pawl 120 which is pivotally connected as at 121 toha post 122 on a slide plate 123. For actuating the slide plate 123 there is provided' an operating post 124 which extends, upwardly through the slot116 in the plate 114 l`and is provided with an operating knob 125 (see Fig. 2). i

To operate the plunger mechanism the 115 of the plate 114. The coins slide down a coin chute, the bottom of which is formed by an inclined plate 126,- and free the plunger mechanism so that the slide plate 123 may be moved rearwardly by an operator movin the knob 125rearwardly. Upon rearward movement of the slide plate 123 the upper end of the delivery pawl engages the lowermostpackage 92 in a compartment and pushes it off the supporting flanges 100. Afterthe package has been delivered the operator releases the knob and a spring 127 returns the plunger mechanism to its linitial position.: @na return of the plunger the delivery pawl 120 is adapted to engage the under side of 'a package and swing on its pivot 121 to an inclined position and ride rear wall 96 of the holder as by rivets 129` (see Figs. 1 and 4). rlhe springs 128 are hquite flexible but nevertheless prevent the contents -of the storage compartment from`- The anglesl 103 and( 104 are b eing j ostled out through the discharge openings in the holder. Whena package is being expelled from one of the storage compartments 95 by one of the plunger mechanisms iis,

the associate spring 128 leXes rearwardly and turns the package downward as clearly illus- After'the coins have freed the plungerl mechanism they are expelled therefrom through apertures 130 in the plunger housing and slide down coin guides 131 which deliver them onto a coin tra 132. As shown the coin tray 132 is provid adjacent each side with a downwardly extending arm 133.wliich iS pivotally secured as at 134 to a boss 135 provided on the cabinet sides 11. T he coin tray includes a. plurality of upstanding ribs 136 which form compartments to receive the initial position the finger 143 engages the ear cov coins from adjacent plunger mechanisms and between each of the ribs 136 I preferably provide an upstaiiding rib 137 which terminates shortof the front of the tray and is provided at the rear end with an upstanding ear 138. For resiliently retaining the coin tray 132 in a forward raised position I provide a coil- `ed spring 139 which is shown as secured at one end to one of the ribs 137 and suitably anchored at the opposite end to the front wall of the cabinet.

To allow the coins on the coin tray to be viewed from the outside I provide a pluralityof apertures 140 in the front wall 13 which are adapted to be closedl by a transparent member 141 which is shown as a piece of 1 and 2). heh one of glass the plunger mechanisms 'moves rearwardly on a delivery stroke a finger 143which is pivotally connected to the plate 123 engages one ofthe upstanding ears 138 on the coin tray 132 and swings the latter rearwardly until the inger 143 passes over the ear '138, whereupon the coin tray is returned toits normal position by the coiled spring 139. When the coin tray is swung rearwardly any coins thereon, which will be the coins used for the previous operation, will fall between/the -forward edge ofthe tray and the fronttwall 13 into the coin receptacle 57 As'the plunger mechanism returns to its 138 on the coin-tray and swings upwardly and rides over the ear after which itfdrops to its normal position'.l

The plunger mechanisms 110y include coin selectors which are adapted to`reject improper coins,` which coins are thenJ disharged oi the bottom 126 of thecoin chutes at the forward end of the plunger'mechanisms. Tore provide a plurhlity of coin i'el turn apertures 146, one for 'each plunger' mechanism (see F-igs 1, 2, To guide the coins from the plunger mechanisms to the coin return apertures 146 I provide in the bulbous portion 145 a plurality of ribs 147 which are integral with the front wall and a thin metal plate 148 which is adapted to be secured' by screws 149 to bosses 150 on the front wall.

Each of the screws,149 are also adapted to sec-ure in positionv a bracket 151 which is adapted to engage the transparent member 141 adjacent the top and clamp it to the front wall (see Figs. 1,-3 and 4). The bottom of the transparent member 141 is shown as adapted to be supported on a rearwardly projecting flange 152 on the front wall 13.

To pr vent persons from surreptitioiisly insertin discharge opening and working the contents of the holder 93 out I provide a thin metal platen155 which is adapted to be secured to inwardly projecting lugs 156 on the cabinet side members 11 by screws 157. `This plate 155 includes an inclined portion 158 which is positioned to protect the plunger mechanisms 110 and a vertical portion 159 which is positioned to the rear of the plunger mechanism and has pivotally secured thereto as at 160 a thinmetal Hap 161 (see Figs. land 4). This flap 161 is adapted to be normally retained in a substantially vertical position below the discharge openings in the holder 93 wires in the cabinet through the by a coiled spring 162one end of which is secured to the flapv 161 and the opposite end of whichl is suitably anchored to the angle 104. If endeavor is made to insert a wire in the machine to extract the contents of To prevent the p'agkages-from being ostled out in the event the cabinet is turned upside down and vigorously shaken -I provide a plate 164 in the cabinet adjacent the-back 1 2. This plate is pivotally mounted on a rod 165 whichiis supported in brackets'166 secured to the back 12 as byscrews 167 and includes a .lower portion 168 and an upper portion 169 v(see Figs. 1 and4). The lower edge of the lower portion 168 is adapted to normally engage the discharge chute 85 as shown in Fig. 1 and the upper portion is disposed at an ioo angle to the back 12 and is provided with a weighted member 170. When eicabinetis upright the weight of the weightedmem'ber 170 retains thelower edgeof-the lower o i-V tion in engagement with the discharge c ute 85 .but when the cabinet is inverted the weight of the weighted member 17 Ocauses the plate 164 to pivot on the rod 165 and swing the lowmember rigidr when said closure door is in a er portion upward into engagement with the Hap 161 both of which then close the discharge apertures in the article holder and prevent removal of the contents.

When the cabinet is invertedthe plate 164 is adapted to be retained in a osition to close the holder discharge opening y a thin spring member 171 which is supported by a bracket 172 which Iv,is secured to the angle 104 in any suitable manner.

As the upper portion 169 of the plate 164 'swings towards the back 12 the Weight of the weighted member 170 leXes the spring 171 and the portion 169 passes the spring to a position between the back 12 andthe end of the spring 171, thereby retaining the portion 168 in a position to close the holder discharge apertures. The plate 164 remains in this position until it is manually reset.

To reset the plate 164'to allow actuation of the device the front door 16 and the article closed position.

4In testimony w signature.

holder 93 must be removed whereupon an operator raises the spring 171 and the weight of the weighted member. 170 swings the portion 168 away from the flap 161 and into engagement with the discharge chute 85. Thereafter the article holder 93 and the door 16 are replaced and the device is ready for further operation. v

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided an eiicient and serviceable vending machine cabinet which is simple in construction and includes many vside wall for retainingvsaid top member rigid when said closure door is in a closed position.

2. A vending machine cabinet comprising side walls, a back, a front, and a closure door, said front having an aperture, a closure member positioned in saidaperture, a lock for said closure door, and means whereby said lock holds said closure member in position when said closure door is in a closed position.

front having an aperture therein, -a closure member positioned in said aperture, a lock on said top, means Ywhereby said lock'locks said l top member and said closure door and other means coacting with said closure door and said closure member for holding 'said closure vending machine cabinet comprising a pair of side walls, a back, a front and a clo-l sure door, a top member for sald cablnet, said WILLIAM H. Rows.

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